Guatemala: The Beautiful

I don’t think it’s fair to only tell you about the terrible things that happen in Guatemala: the crime rate, gangs, drugs, violence, insecurity, lack of safety, etc.

These are things that I vent about because they make me angry and upset, and they make me feel impotent. But they only make me so upset because I see the potential that Guatemala has: it’s a beautiful country, with amazing people, great food, and a fascinating culture. So, I thought I’d share some of that stuff too.

It’s also called “El Pais de la eterna Primavera,” or the Land of Eternal Spring

It’s home to over 800 varieties of orchids.

Guatemala has 14 eco-regions ranging from mangrove forests to both ocean littorals (no idea what this word is) with 5 different ecosystems. It has about 1246 known species of animals. It has 37 volcanoes, 4 of which are active (one of which Jeff and I have hiked!). There are 21 mayan languages in Guatemala. (This is all according to Wikipedia, so it may or may not be true.)

It has two main mountain chains, with 9 smaller mountain chains (click here for some pictures).

As far as food goes, Dali mentioned a long list of delicious items today, which made me truly homesick:

There’s a music video coming out early next week by two great Guatemalan artists, and the shot the video all over Guatemala. Here’s a little behind the scenes, where you can appreciate some of the great beauties of Guatemala :)

Obviously this is a small sample of what the country has to offer….I’m sure there are more insightful articles out there on the beauties in Guatemala. I just wanted you to see the tip of the iceberg…or at least know that such iceberg exists :)